Budget cuts making police ‘ineffective’, says force chief

POLICING has reached a ‘tipping point’ with slower emergency responses, more crimes dealt with over the phone and fewer offenders brought to justice, a chief constable has warned.

Dave Thompson, who heads the West Midlands force, said budget cuts of 19 per cent since 2010 were making the service ‘ineffective’ at core duties.

He said public confidence was being eroded as calls ‘do not get answered as quickly as they did’ and ‘officers are not as fast at responding to emergencies’.

‘Bluntly, our ability to manage the big threats and protect the vulnerable, yet still be the traditional police the public want and need, is becoming ever harder.

‘We are in danger of pursuing efficiency to the point of ineffectiveness — where we’re not detecting crime as we should be and not meeting public expectations.’

Home secretary Sajid Javid’s brother Ch Supt Basit Javid serves in the West Midlands force. Mr Javid pledged to prioritise police funding when he took on the role earlier this year.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We have delivered a £460million increase in overall police funding in 2018/19, and are working with the police to put forward the evidence to ensure they receive the resources they need at the next spending review.’